The Chaos of Cannith [3.5]

[Meek]

Marsh clenches her hands, and gives a hateful stare at Menya at the mention of that name. It's as if the entirety of what she was saying becomes completely washed away with the mention of that single name. Everything else is just noise. The only words reverberating in Marsh's mind are Merrix D'Cannith.

Take comfort in your experiments while you can, madman. Soon, you will get what you deserve, and I will take back what is mine. And the glorious part is – I will do it all with your psychotic invention.

[Jade_Tarem]

Konnor opens his mouth to phrase the question that's really on his mind, then snaps it shut.

Can't ask that - I've made too much of a scene already. I wonder why the thought of a crisis like this didn't check their greed in the first place. It seems, then, that it would be best that this project disappear forever - not that that does *me* much good! How in the Five Kingdoms am I going to get to it before the legions of thrillseekers who are after the... hold it - what *is* the reward for finding it? That's a question that needs to be answered if they want it found.

Konnor raises his hand again, and speaks before being called on.

"Ah, right. What, exactly, is the reward for finding this? You won't tell us what it does, only that it's really, really dangerous. For all we know it's a powerful explosive, an untested warforged, or even an unstable elder elemental - which takes us back to explosives! What kind of incentive are you providing for going after something like that?"

[Iron Mongler]

She smiles at this question, and can't help but chuckle nervously a little. "I figured that'd be asked. I think you'll find the rewards quite satisfying. We will pardon all of your crimes and remove any brandings on you, first and foremost. Secondly, you will be given Towers in Sharn in your name, built in any district you wish. Thirdly, Cannith will provide you with 25% discounts on crafts, and lastly, but certainly not least, you will be given a private room in any Skyway hotel you choose - you can make use of the chosen facility for an entire year. Of course, this is only for the people who successfully find the weapon and return it to us." She folds her hands on the podium in front of her. "Does that sound good?"

[Meek]

I have a better reward in mind.

The end of Merrix D'Cannith.

Marsh laughs internally.

[Geneticist]

Upon hearing the boy's words, he turns, leaping onto his horse, setting off in his best-guess direction for the university at a brisk trot. He throws the boy a few gold as he goes away, his pennant flapping in the wind.

[Jade_Tarem]

Konnor nods.

But I'm not going to ask the two final, obvious questions here. Either could start a riot.

[Durendal]

"I call myself Pugil, human. While I have resigned myself to the smithy, I was once a great soldier. Curious, what is it that you would like to know about warfare?"

The tall, mithral plated warforged stares down at the fleshy scholar, his metallic face, shining blue eyes, and gravelly monotone voice denying any signs of his curiosity. He has taken to speaking his feelings aloud so as to better communicate his thoughts.

[Iron Mongler]

The boy thanks you kindly as Soren races across the skybridge on his horse, getting some strange looks as he rides by. After an hour of riding and seeing some maps, you find your way to the University of Morgrave as well. You see some students out in the front of it, eating their dinner before classes.

---

"I was interested in performing a case study, actually." the scholar says "Have you heard of the public announcement going on at Morgrave today? Rumor has it that something important from House Cannith was stolen. I was curious to see how the socioeconomic status of Warforged would improve in Sharn, no, Khorvaire if the Warforged were to retrieve such a thing. Doesn't that pique your interest?" He smiles and fiddles with an inkpen, twirling it in his hands.

---

Menya then declares, "I would like any adventurers interested to sign up here then, on the paper my assistant will hand out. In 24 hours we will have the tracker spiders ready for use, and you can visit us at Cannith Tower to pick them up. Thank you for your cooperation."

[Minstrel Wyrm]

Unperturbed, Kamiel raises his hand again. "I take it that there will be opportunity for more confidental questions in a non-public briefing for those who volunteer, correct?" he says when acknowledged.

"Assuming that, I will reserve some of my questions for such an eventuality. However, there are questions I would pose now." The large construct pauses for a moment. "Maybe the answer to the following question is evident for everyone of flesh and blood among your audience. If so, I apologize, but I do not yet understand." His eyes are locked upon Lady d'Cannith.

"You spoke of deterrence, but not of balance. What deterrence is there for the possessor of the weapon not to make use of this military advantage and attack the other nations?"

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Oh, sorry, was so busy putting this together that I overlooked your new post, Mongler! Do you think Kamiel could get rid of this question and about two or three regarding the reward offered before Menya finishes? I'll be at the computer for some time now, so I can quickly react. Shouldn't take too long, I think!

Just checked - the other questions I mentioned could be taken care of later, too. Just as long as it is before the tracker spiders are going to be attached. ... Yes, at least in my case there's probably some more reassurance needed to accept those spiders!

[Meek]

Marsh shakes her head, and turns to leave.

Like I'm going to register with you clowns. I'm not going to be your puppet dancing around. This weapon is my opportunity and nobody else is getting it.

[Jade_Tarem]

Konnor looks about around the crowd, to see the reactions of those around him. He's just looking for general responses. If he spots Marsh, he may follow her out and accost her. If he does not, he will get in line with those willing to accept the job.

But I'm not wearing one of those spiders...

OOC:

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I'm not sure what the check DC is to see Marsh or Kamiel (Marsh's seems kinda low from her description, and Kamiel has been asking questions - but then, my spot is pretty bad), but I'm giving it a shot - here goes.

Spot (d20+5)[23]

[Iron Mongler]

Konnor spots Marsh and Kamiel.

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Descriptions for Marsh and Kamiel please.

Menya nods at Kamiel's first question. "Correct, I will be able to give some more details regarding the weapon privately. As for your second question, I can simply respond by saying I trust King Boranel's wisdom, and anything other than that would be treason in my eyes. If his majesty truly means ill with this weapon, I see no reason why we could not take justice into our own hands. Further, should he express that view, House Cannith can merely discontinue production of it."

[Meek]

Marsh is a rather beautiful girl, with an appearance of unassuming innocence and yet some courtly elegance. She has shoulder-length, mostly straight brown hair that curls outwards at the ends, with bangs covering her forehead almost down to her dark purple eyes, and also coming from the sides over her ears, framing her face. She keeps it somewhat restrained with a stiff purple hair band. Her fair-skinned, oval-shaped, delicate-featured face puts her solidly in her late teens to early adulthood. Her slim body is subtly curved, with only modest bust and hips to her figure. She appears patently unathletic, having an ordinary physique lacking in musculature.

She wears a high-fashion dress instantly recognizable as a fancy and trendy Clebdeche design. It is a royal purple, form-fitting, knee-length halter dress with exposed shoulders and long, cone-ended sleeves disconnected from the main frame of the dress and pinned against the arm with purple lace. Around her neck she has a small kerchief with a purple jewel pinning it, which covers the row of buttons and the neckhole of the dress. She wears purple stockings with black garters, and black shoes. She has a fancy belt, and carries a jeweled rapier and a small bag clipped to her side.

Marsh keeps on going, a serious expression on her face, unaware of or blocking out the sight from her mind, of anyone that might be around her. Her interest in this area has ceased, and she has something important to get ready for.

[Minstrel Wyrm]

Those who leave the hall have to pass the massive construct that stands next to the entrance, arms crossed over the chest and gaze focused on the d'Cannith messenger. Medium-sized for a warforged, it still is close to six and a half feet tall and probably weighs almost 300 pounds. Steel-grey armour plates cover "muscles" made from tough roots. Vaguely arcane-looking tracery of a purplish-silvery metal subtly covers the armour, and a green glow fills its eye sockets.

Strangely enough, it wears parts of a blue robe - wide sleeves hang down from its upper arms, the legs are covered by cloth attached to a belt, and a deep hood almost completely shadows the ghulra on its forehead. The armoured chest is bare, however, only crossed by the shoulder straps of two satchels. A number of pouches and bags dangle from the belt around its waist, along with a leafbladed shortsword with a strange, vaguely cage-like pommel.

Apparently, Kamiel does not pay attention to those who pass him on the way out. Should the young traveler who posed a few rather critical questions earlier on approach, however, he will turn his gaze towards him and address him. Otherwise, he seems for now content to watch what happens in the lecture hall ...

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Mark you, Kamiel does not really look like that, but here's a link to the picture of a warforged mage that did serve as an early inspiration for Kamiel. Mainly posting this link as it may help visualize how Kamiel's robe may look:

"Carrion", by Darren Calvert

[Meek]

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Hopefully with all the work I did describing that, nobody has trouble visualizing Marsh >_>

Nice picture, Minstrel. Is it official Wizard's art?

[Jade_Tarem]

Due to where he was standing at the back of the hall, Konnor actually has to push past Kamiel to get out the door - he makes a snap judgement of Kamiel based on the questions Kamiel has asked so far.

He seems like the intelligent sort, but he's also not going anywhere soon - I'll catch up with him later.

Konnor pushes past Kamiel and pursues the woman he just saw leaving. "'Scuse me, big guy."

He follows the lady in the purple dress outside into the courtyard, running if necessary to catch up, and turns and skids to a stop around and in front of her.

I think she may know what's up, but it's probably better to keep in character.

"Excuuuuuuse me, miss, but I'd like to discuss something with ya - it'll only take a moment if you're not int'rested."

Konnor sketches a quick, informal bow and flashes his best smile as he does this, setting his rapier swaying in it's scabbard.

OOC Edit: I forgot about Kamiel's triggered response to Konnor's approach. Konnor will not make eye contact on the way out, and if Kamiel says anything (anything friendly, anyway) Konnor will likely say "Could I get back to ya in a minute? Thanks!" and be out the door before further speech is possible.

[Meek]

Hmm? One of the guys asking questions...

After a short pause to look at him, Marsh replies, "Yes?"

[Jade_Tarem]

Here goes - all she can say is no.

Konnor takes his first good look at her, realizing she's likely a magic user of some kind.

Well, that and 'FIREBALL!' Guess I'll have to trust it to luck.

"Well, I, ah, I happened to notice your quick departure from the hall, and I was thinkin' that maybe you're more... what's the word... aware? We'll go with that - aware that there are more holes in House Cannith's scheme than the Cyre treasury, if ya know what I mean."

Konnor sticks her with a meaningful look. "Now, I may not have seen too much of Sharn, or Khorvaire for that matter, but I was thinkin' that maaaybe a group of like minds could fix this mess with more... more panache than a few adventurous glory hounds or a Citadel goon squad." He checks about him, left and right, looking for anyone too interested in the conversation. "I don't know about you, but I'm willin' to find the Cannith Superweapon without necessarily playing by their rules. I'm not suggestin' we do anything blatant, but plugging myself into a Cannith remote scrying device, or whatever that thing is, isn't going to do it for me - and if that's the case, why not think big, eh?"

[Meek]

This could be very useful indeed.

With a coquettish smile on her face, she says, "I like your style, sir. Preliminarily, I want to say yes; but I want to discuss this at leisure with you, and preferably alone." She looks around herself, and leans in a bit, making it look like a girlish flirt, coming very near Konnor's face, "My name is Marsh of LeBlanche, and though I am busy tonight, if you could meet me tomorrow for breakfast in Galdin's Garden, in the Seventh Tower here in Menthis, that would be great. You can't miss it, and anyone you ask can tell you where it is. I can even pay for both of us. It's upscale and very nice, and caters to its customers, if you will. We can talk privately there."

[Jade_Tarem]

Konnor grins. "Great! I won't be late. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go talk to that warforged fellow inside before they forcibly dismantle him for asking too many intelligent questions..." He sketches another quick bow, then heads back inside at a fast walk, but turns around after a couple steps.

"By the way, my name's Konnor Greystaff of Fairhaven - see ya tomorrow, bright an' early!"

He then goes back into the meeting hall, looking for the warforged he brushed past on the way out.

No kidding - if he keeps up that level of political and strategic interrogation they're likely to throw him out, at the very least!

[Iron Mongler]

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Since the OOC topic doesn't seem to be too...lively, I thought I'd post it here. Jade, I could not have found a better reasoning on why you and Marsh would meet each other - well done on your end, I couldn't have thought of that myself. I think your characters are absolutely spot on and am loving the effort you're pouring into this.

I hope that when you say 'more holes than the Cyre treasury' in Cannith's plan though that I haven't inadvertently made an obvious/stupid mistake with Menya's speech back there though. They aren't being very fair to adventurers but they are trying to at least SOUND smart.

[Meek]

Marsh waves a final time, then turns to leave.

I'll need all the help I can get. I just hope I won't have to surprise him at any point. I very much would like some allies I can actually talk straight to.

She makes note of the time of day before doing anything.

[Iron Mongler]

It's getting late in the afternoon.

[Meek]

Time to head for the Skyway then.

With one last look back, Marsh leaves the University district, en route to her meeting the Mayor.

[Minstrel Wyrm]

Konnor pushes past Kamiel and pursues the woman he just saw leaving. "'Scuse me, big guy."

The warforged looks down at the young man. "Do you hav..."

"Could I get back to ya in a minute? Thanks!"

was the hurried response, and the man slipped past him.

Kamiel pauses a surprised moment. "Yes," he then tells the door, and turns his gaze away again.

* * *

[Konnor] then goes back into the meeting hall, looking for the warforged he brushed past on the way out.

The robed construct has not left his place next to the entrance. Maybe he hasn't even moved at all since Konnor has encountered him. Apparently, his attention is focused on the events around Lady d'Canniths assistant, and he seems to be taking stock of how many (and whom) House d'Cannith is able to recruit.

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"[...] Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go talk to that warforged fellow inside before they forcibly dismantle him for asking too many intelligent questions..."

[...]

No kidding - if he keeps up that level of political and strategic interrogation they're likely to throw him out, at the very least!

*laughs* Hopefully they haven't done that! Though I start to suspect that Kamiel could at times use some sort of Subtle feat ...

@ Mongler:

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If Kamiel has a spare moment in the meantime, he'll ponder those spider tracker contraptions. That probably requires a Knowledge (Arcana) roll - which made me realize that I'm not fully sure what you meant in the recruitment thread with "honor system"?

Intuitively I took it to mean "roll your dice at home, be honest with the results, and I'll trust you on it". But after seeing a paragraph in a rulebook detailing how to determine "average hit point gains", I thought I'd better make sure that there's no specific system that I simply don't know about!

edit: Gah, could have done a roll already, just in case I did understand you correctly. Here goes:

[ Knowledge (Arcana): 11 + 9 = 20 ]

[Jade_Tarem]

Konnor, looking over at Meyna and the group of adventurers she's successfully recruited (expecting the warforged to be over there), ducks in and to the left, running smack into the warforged, who is still standing there - Konnor's light frame barely budges the warforged.

Rubbing his face, Konnor looks up at the warforged. "Ah, there ya are, nice runnin' into you again! You had something ya wanted to talk about?"

OOC:

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Sorry about not checking the OOC thread more often, but thanks for the note earlier. Konnor, btw, doesn't think that Cannith's plan is stupid - on the contrary, he thinks it's brilliant - just that what they told the adventurers about it seems stupid. It's not, but with Konnor's paranoia currently on overdrive, and what he knows from his past, he has jumped to a few conclusions.

[Minstrel Wyrm]

"Yes," Kamiel rumbles, unfolding his arms from his chest at last. "Your questions to them indicate a discerning and critical mind. I would know your thoughts about this matter."

He pauses a moment, his green glowing gaze resting on Konnor's face. "If you would share them."

[Jade_Tarem]

Konnor looks over the warforged with a critical eye.

A spellcasting warforged. I may not be a professional artificer, but I do know a good bit about them. The casters tend to be newer - and smarter too. Also, this one's questions indicate advanced critical thinking and problem solving. This could work out better than I thought.

Konnor offers a friendly smile and his right hand drifts up to his belt, but apparently fails to find something it usually rested on, and then drops back to his side. That life is dead, and rapidly decaying.

Konnor cranes his neck up to look at the warforged's face. "Forgive my rudeness earlier, and this current roundabout way of answering your question. I need ta make sure of somethin', though... You're a relatively new warforged, are you not?"

[Minstrel Wyrm]

"That is correct," the warforged replies. "I rose from the forge in the autumn of 995 YK."

He looks at you for a moment, then, almost as an afterthought, sets his head at an angle. "What relevance does that have for you?"

[Iron Mongler]

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Yes Minstrel honor system is rolling at home and being honest. Also thank you Jade, I'm not trying to be narcicisstic or anything but I just don't want Cannith to have a giant, gaping plot hole that I didn't pick up